Total enrollment
182,005
-10,167 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
Philadelphia County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
For a Pennsylvania county, Philadelphia County operates a sizable public-school system: 309 schools and 182,005 students, broken out as 196 elementary, 18 middle, and 70 high.
7-year change in Philadelphia County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
303
-1 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
14%
was 14%
% Hispanic
26%
was 20%
% Black
48%
was 53%
% Asian
8%
was 7%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,579,706
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
309
89 districts
Enrollment
182,005
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$61,953
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
94.9%
Above Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
196
99,942 students
Middle
18
7,837 students
High
70
48,299 students
Combined / other
25
25,927 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Philadelphia City SD
116,230 students · 89 districts in Philadelphia County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Philadelphia County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
35.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
17.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
8.1%
civilian labor
Median age
35
21.2% under 18
Test scores in Philadelphia County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 297 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Central HS· 96.3%
- Gamp· 92.4%
- Academy at Palumbo· 91.7%
- Masterman Julia R Sec Sch· 90.9%
- HS of Engineering & Science· 90.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- McClure Alexander K Sch· 4.0%
- ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber CS· 5.5%
- Strawberry Mansion HS· 6.5%
- Clemente Roberto MS· 7.2%
- Rhodes E Washington Sch· 7.4%
See all 297 schools in Philadelphia County ranked by score →
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Vare CS | Philadelphia | Middle | 05-08 | 107 | · |
| Philadelphia Learning Academy - West | Philadelphia | High | 09-12 | 99 | · |
| Philadelphia Learning Academy - North | Philadelphia | High | 09-12 | 73 | · |
| Bluford CS | Philadelphia | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Daroff CS | Philadelphia | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| John B. Stetson CS | Philadelphia | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Math Civics and Sciences CS | Philadelphia | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Meehan Austin MS | Philadelphia | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Olney Charter High School | Philadelphia | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Philadelphia County
About Philadelphia County
Across the wide-reaching Pennsylvania county of Philadelphia County of about 1,579,706 residents, the public-school footprint covers 309 schools and about 182,005 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $61,953, 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 17%. That income level is 13% meaningfully below the Pennsylvania median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Philadelphia County covers 196 elementary schools (99,942 students), 18 middle schools (7,837), 70 high schools (48,299), and 25 combined or other schools.
Philadelphia City SD is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 116,230 students across Philadelphia County.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Philadelphia County has declined 5% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 192,172 students to 182,005. The school count fell from 304 to 303 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 20% to 26% over the same window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Philadelphia County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Philadelphia County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data